LilLee Mini-Stories
by Havoka
Summary: A collection of short Lilly/Lee stories I've written over the past 4-5 months. (Some are AU, some are in-universe. Rated T for language).
1. A Morning Encounter

A/N: Credit to leesbackpocket for the cover image!

* * *

A Morning Encounter

The river water was ice cold, chilling Lilly as it flowed over her bare skin. It was far from the warm shower she craved, but she desperately needed to wash. Dipping her hair into the freezing water, she kept quiet and listened for signs of danger.

The early morning's mist kept her fairly well-cloaked from the eyes of intruders. As she bathed, she hoped the human scent she carried on her would diminish. That way, the Walkers would be less likely to find her. It was crucial to her survival, she convinced herself. That was why she was out there risking her life.

A snapping twig immediately shifted her attention to her surroundings. The fog made it difficult to see farther than a few yards. She fumbled for her nearby pistol, regretting the fact that she had left her clothing out of reach on the riverbank.

Footsteps echoed through the forest – too fast to be a Walker's. _Shit._ She didn't really care if a Walker saw her naked, but random humans were a different story. Scared and flustered, she crawled toward the shore.

As she grabbed for her jeans, another twig snapped close by. Lilly hastily covered herself as best she could, kneeling on the riverbank.

From out of the woods, Lee emerged. His gun was out, as though he had been hunting. When he spotted Lilly in the midst, he emitted a startled cry and quickly averted his eyes. "Jesus, Lilly! I'm sorry, I didn't-" He trailed off, taking a step back.

Lilly scrambled to pull her clothes on. "What the hell are you doing out here so early?" She demanded as she wrung her sopping-wet hair out, masking her embarrassment with anger. "And my clothes are on, you don't have to keep your eyes closed."

Lee slowly opened them, noticing Lilly was, indeed, fully clothed. "I was trying to find us some food." He mumbled. "Didn't expect to find, uh...naked women."

Lilly stopped drying her hair as a blush crept up her cheeks. "I didn't think anyone else was even awake." She muttered.

Lee took a few steps into the clearing, still alert to possible dangers. "So how often do you do this? Because you know it's dangerous as hell to be out here all alone. Especially while you're distracted."

"I don't know about you, but I prefer to bathe alone." She fingercombed her long hair, trying to make it look presentable. Lee watched her silently, making her strangely self-conscious. "And who the fuck am I supposed to bring with me, anyway? Carley?" She could only imagine the cattiness that would ensue from the two of them sharing the same washing space.

Lee couldn't help but chuckle at her outburst. She was always so cranky. "Y'know, we could take shifts looking out for each other. I know Clementine would love to wash her hair every once in a while."

Lilly got to her feet. "Only if everyone promises to keep their backs turned. I don't want anyone else stumbling across me while I'm fucking naked."

Lee laughed. "Well, _I_ promise, but I can't speak for anyone else."

Lilly folded her arms. "Then I guess you'll be my partner."

"Works for me." He paused, still studying the scowling woman. Her wet clothes clung to her wiry body, her auburn hair hanging in damp tendrils around her shoulders and face. Although she was fairly tall, at that moment she looked small and vulnerable. A tiny, almost imperceptible shudder ran through her as the fall breeze picked up around them.

Lilly noticed him staring at her. She felt she should be uncomfortable, but his gaze wasn't perverse or intimidating. It was the kind of look that showed a genuine interest, a desire to be familiar with and to understand another person. It was the way her father used to look at her mother, back when everything was still normal.

She briefly considered just collapsing into his arms, hiding from her responsibilities and her sadness.

But she was too unsure of herself. Too unsure of him. And besides, survival was the most important thing she was supposed to worry about. Not petty romance. _But still, it would be nice..._

"We should head back to the Motel." Lee broke the silence, snapping Lilly back into leadership mode.

"...Right. It's not safe here. And I need to get today's rations figured out." The spark that had been momentarily ignited in her eyes was extinguished as she returned to her usual, stressed-out self. Lee watched the metamorphosis with a sinking heart, realizing just how thinly-stretched the poor woman was.


	2. The Letter

The Letter

Her notebook was full.

Three long months after she'd started the log, every page was finally filled. Most of it was everyday stuff – supply count, notes on walker and bandit sightings, and other such things. But every so often, hidden within the mundane scrawlings of a leader, blossomed a touch of love, a childish affection for the one person she trusted more than any other.

Lilly shifted on the bed, re-reading the letter for the millionth time. _God, I hope I don't make a fool out of myself with this._ She hugged the paper to her chest, praying he felt the same way.

She didn't want to give it to him directly – it seemed too blunt an approach. Instead, she wanted to hide it somewhere. But where?

Checking the schedule, she realized he was next on watch. _I can leave it on the lawn chair, up on the RV._ She devised with a tiny flutter of excitement.

A few minutes later, the folded-up sheet of notebook paper was tucked carefully between the flaps of the chair's canvas.

* * *

"S'no trouble, I swear." Kenny clapped the other man lightly on the back, showing him a weathered smile. "You take care'a your girl."

Lee thanked him, heading over to Clementine. She handed him a piece of chalk, instructing him on what to add to her mural. Kenny picked up their scoped rifle, climbing atop the RV to take Lee's shift. He had notified Lilly of the change a few hours before, and although she'd seemed to be only half-listening, she had okay'd it. So he assumed there wasn't a problem.

He took a seat, and immediately noticed something rustling beneath him. Pulling it out, he realized it was a handwritten note.

_Hey,_

_I know sometimes I'm hard on you, and I know we don't always see eye-to-eye. But there's something I want to tell you. I really like you. You're a sweet guy and I think we should maybe try to do something romantic sometime. I guess it's kind of hard to find a good date spot in this fucked-up place, but maybe we could just sit up on the roof and watch the sunset together. That way we could still look out for danger, and we'd have a little bit of personal space. Anyway, I'll be waiting up on the roof. If you're interested, come join me._

_Lilly_

"What the fuck?" He muttered to himself, staring at the paper in disbelief. "Is this some sorta joke?"

Folding it back up, he turned to glance at the Motor Inn's rooftop. To his horror, he spotted Lilly climbing the short side of the building, pulling herself up onto the flat roof. Kenny quickly ducked, hopping down from the RV as she took a seat on the level surface, crossing her legs expectantly.

_Holy shit._ He sputtered, realizing her offer was serious. _That psycho bitch _likes_ me! _That would explain why she was always goading him so much. That they 'didn't always see eye-to-eye' was a massive understatement.

Still completely shocked and a bit disgusted, Kenny crushed the paper into a ball and tossed it into one of the dumpsters. _That fuckin' harlot thinks she can flirt with me? With my goddamn wife right here? She's got some fuckin' nerve._

"Kenny?" Lee called out to him from his seat on the pavement. "I thought you were on watch?"

"I, uh..." He faltered, not sure what to say. He sure as hell didn't want to tell anyone about the letter. "Something's come up. Sorry man, but do you think you could take over? I'll take one'a your shifts later and you and Clementine can draw then, maybe." Honestly, he wanted to be as far out of Lilly's sights as he could get – and he definitely didn't want her knowing he'd seen the invitation.

Lee frowned. "Sure, no problem I guess. You all right, though?"

"Yeah." Kenny murmured, looking distant. "I'm great. Just, fine."

Lee raised an eyebrow. "Uh, okay. If you say so." He took the gun from the other man, replacing him on top of the RV. As he was climbing up, he noticed Lilly sprawled on the roof, leaning back on her hands as if she were waiting for something. She deliberately avoided eye contact with him, looking around at anything and everything else.

"Why the hell is Lilly on the roof?" Lee called down to Kenny, keeping his tone low so she wouldn't overhear.

"Any luck, maybe she's gonna throw 'erself off it."

Lee shook his head, ignoring Kenny's spiteful comment. He took in the familiar sight of the woods around them, watching for any possible danger. Eventually he noticed Lilly climb down from the roof, retreating into her room with a loud slam of her door.

He wondered what she was so upset about.


	3. Journal Entry

Journal Entry

_I was so weak before you came along. You saw through my front, you reached through to my core. I wish I could tell you how I felt before we parted ways. I'm so full of regrets, with no one to vent them to._

The yellowed book sat open on the bed, its blank pages inviting even more confessions. Lilly chewed on the end of her pen, uncertain what else to write. There were so many words to say, none of which she could translate into sentences. It felt good to release her pent-up frustration though, so she pressed on.

_I'm sorry I snapped. I know I said that she was stealing from us, and I still believe it was either her or that kid. But that wasn't just why I did what I did. I saw the way everyone looked at her. The way they adored her. What did they see in her that wasn't in me? I took charge, I helped keep us alive. She did next to nothing to aid in our survival. What did you all like so much about her?_

She rolled over onto her back in exasperation. Staring up at the dingy ceiling, her eyes burned with the familiar sting of tears.

_Nothing I did was ever enough._


	4. Lee's Personal Hell

A/N: This one was originally a joke post made on Tumblr, so it's quite short.

**Lee's Personal Hell**

After his death, Lee finds out he's damned to spend eternity in hell for the murders he's committed. He accepts his fate with dignity and honor, knowing that his past was unforgivable.

He is cast down into the bowels of hell.

To his surprise, 'hell' consists a small room with some nice furniture and softly-painted yellow walls.

"Huh, this doesn't seem so bad." He thinks to himself, taking in his surroundings. There's no fire or burning heat or brimstone to be seen anywhere - only nice, atmospheric lighting from a chandelier overhead.

Soon he hears footsteps from an adjacent room, and then, to his even greater surprise, Lilly appears in the doorway.

"Oh my god," She exclaims at the sight of him, "Lee! ___You're _here? That's great!" Realizing she sounds horrible, she quickly backpedals. "…I mean, it's not great that you're dead…and in hell…but…" She grins sheepishly, shrugging her bony shoulders. "I guess I mean, I'm happy to see you." She meets him in the center of the room, and Lee can see that, like him, she's still dressed in her tattered earthly clothing.

Still glancing about in confusion, Lee finally asks, "Why is this hell? It doesn't seem too bad. I mean, the decor's a little outdated, but…"

"I don't know." Lilly responds earnestly, shaking her head. "I haven't experienced any sort of torture or misery yet." A slight smile forms on her face. "And now you're here, which makes things even better."

"I guess it'll be nice to have some company." He admits, trying to be optimistic about the situation.

At that point, her face lights up with a sudden excitement. She turns and calls into the next room, "Hey, Dad! Come in here! You'll never guess who's joining us!"

Lee visibly pales. "Wait a minute," He stammers. "___Larry's _here?"

The bulky older man stomps into the room, ducking through the doorway. "Look, Lee's here now!" His daughter says with enthusiasm, gesturing to Lee with her arm. "Isn't this great?"

Larry sneers. "Ha, welcome to hell, asshole." He stalks over to Lee, grabbing him by the collar. "_Now I can whoop your ass for all eternity_."

Lilly's eyes widen in horror as she runs to get between them. "Wait, Dad, no!" She cries. "I told you, he tried to save you! I thought you were over this!"

Lee suddenly realizes why this was considered hell.


	5. Rebuilding

A/N: This was the first LilLee fic I ever wrote. It was written shortly after Episode 3 came out, so that's why there's no explanation as to why Lee's fine and dandy. I guess it's AU-ish? Anyway, it's one of the 'fluffier' short stories I've written.

* * *

Rebuilding

Lee watched with uncertainty as Lilly scaled the steel ladder, the handle of a paint bucket clenched between her teeth. He held it steady at the bottom as she worked her way to the top. Setting the bucket down on the uppermost step, Lilly yanked it open, filling the room with the powerful scent of paint. She reached around to her back pocket, where a brush was stashed, and pulled it out. Dipping it into the paint, she began to cover the dingy white wall with haphazard streaks of sunny yellow.

"You know, we could've paid someone to do this." Lee noted, observing her progress.

Lilly continued smearing the wall. "Why pay for it when I can just do it?" The paint already looked uneven and messy.

Lee shook his head, disguising his amusement. "You are _so_ stubborn."

She swiped angrily at the flat surface. "Damn right I am."

A few more buckets of paint sat on the floor by the wall, a paintbrush laid across one of them. "Do you still need me to hold the ladder?" Lee asked. "If not, I think I'm gonna help out."

Lilly glanced down, testing her balance. "I should be okay now. I'm balanced all right."

Soon the two of them were painting together, Lee at the ground level, Lilly close to the ceiling. This continued for about twenty minutes, the couple making commentary about the state of the apartment, their hopes for it, and how much better it was than a shitty motor inn or a broken-down RV. Eventually, Lilly's impatient side won out, and she began to grow frustrated. "This is gonna take forever." She grumbled, looking around at all the white on the surrounding walls.

"Well, you're the one who wanted to do it yourself." Lee teased.

She sighed. "We don't have the money to hire people for things like this. We need to save for a _bed_, remember?" Deeply-etched frown lines formed at the corners of her mouth as she spoke. "The couch isn't really going to work much longer." They had been sleeping on a ratty, garbage-picked pull-out sofa for the last few weeks. Ever since they had moved into the apartment, Lilly and Lee had been putting a chunk of their respective paychecks toward new furniture and repairs.

"Yeah, I know that." Lee reluctantly agreed, knowing that she was right. He resumed methodically streaking the wall.

Lilly glanced down at her lover, who was working hard to wash the dirty white surface with color. Her lips curled into a tiny smile, her heart warmed by the knowledge that this was her life now – this was real. Despite her massive faults, Lee loved and accepted her. They were building a new life together, one brushstroke at a time.

"Hey." She tapped the wall to get his attention. He paused to look up at her, his dark brown eyes watching her expectantly. "Love you."

Lee grinned. "You goin' soft on me, Lil?"

She flicked her brush at him, splattering tiny flecks of yellow paint all over him. Her hand quickly moved to cover her mouth, stifling childish laughter as Lee cursed and sputtered. "Hey, you're fighting dirty now."

She descended the ladder, hopping down to meet him face-to-face. Her normally drawn, weathered features were aglow with youthful radiance, a change Lee had been noticing more and more since the two of them had been reunited. Amidst the wreckage of a rebuilding world, finding someone who knew and loved you was like returning home after a long day's work. They had both stumbled in the past, straying from the path of righteousness and morals. They had both suffered, punishing themselves worse than anyone else ever could. But in the end, they were friends, and that had never been forgotten.

Wiping the paint from his cheek, he leaned down and kissed her. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying herself into his open embrace. When they pulled apart, he was laughing, and she demanded to know why.

Without saying a word, Lee pulled his paintbrush from his pocket and dotted her nose with it. She gasped, then broke out into her familiar scowl. The sight was so hilarious that Lee began laughing even harder.

Lilly's face burned with embarrassment. She swallowed hard, knowing it was just a joke. He was just being playful. She needed to lighten up if she was going to keep Lee Everett in her life. "...Good one." She said at last, mustering a smile.

As soon as Lee turned to grab a wet rag for her, she flung her brush at him. It struck him square in the back, staining his blue jacket with paint. "Jesus!" He cried, startled. "I forgot how good of a shot you are."

He tossed her the rag, and she used it to scrub the paint off her nose. "You'd be wise to remember that." She said with a sly grin.

"Hopefully I won't have to." With the Walker threat all but eliminated, they wouldn't need most of their survival tactics anymore. All the things they'd learned about guns and aiming wouldn't do them a whole lot of good in a civilized world.

That, and they could finally shower.

Lilly picked her brush up, dropping it back into the paint bucket. "I still can't believe things are getting back to normal." She glanced over her shoulder, out the nearby window.

"Well, if you count about 75% of the world's population dead as 'normal'."

Someone high up in the US government had finally managed to perfect a vaccine, but not before the majority of the human race had been wiped out. Those who remained took up the task of re-establishing the civilized society they had lost, fixing houses, planting seeds for food, and establishing clinics. It was during the earliest period of reconstruction that Lilly and Lee had encountered one another again. They had both found jobs rebuilding Macon and its surrounding suburbs, trying to bring about some degree of normalcy. Lilly was helping to clean up a schoolyard when she spotted him hammering in a fence nearby. Incredulous, and slightly nervous, she'd called out to him.

In that time of rebirth, it was as if all had been forgiven between the survivors. Familiar faces were welcomed, regardless of how they had parted. She remembered Lee throwing his arms around her, delighting in the comforting presence of an ally amidst their strange new environment. She recalled blushing scarlet in his arms even as she shyly pulled away. In that moment, she knew they both understood what was most important in their new lives. Mistakes had been made, heated words had been exchanged – but they had practically been a family at one point. A big, dysfunctional family, but a family nonetheless. They had put their lives on the line for each other. There wasn't much a person could count on in a crisis like the Outbreak but family and close friends.

The memories provoked a tear to form in the pit of Lilly's eye. They had both lost everything. Lee had given Clementine up to her parents in Savannah, as much as it pained him to do so. Kenny had taken off as soon as the vaccine was discovered, heading back to his extended family in Florida. Ben had left shortly afterward, seeking out the remnants of his family in Stone Mountain. Only she and Lee remained, with no one left to search for. Finding each other had been the first positive thing to happen to either of them in months.

Noticing her long silence, Lee backpedaled. "Sorry, I know that was morbid. At least we're alive, though." He reached out and stroked her cheek lightly. "And we're together. That's something, right?"

She knew she had no right to cry about the loss of her father in the presence of someone who had lost his entire family in one fell swoop. Lee had recently confessed to her the story of his poor baby brother, trapped beneath a fallen electrical pole. Easy prey for walkers. Now that there was a cure, it seemed like an even greater waste of life. As though none of those innocent people had to die. Had they just hung on a little longer...

Lilly's moist eyes met his. "Yeah. That _is _something, I guess."

Lee pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm glad I found you again." He said softly. "And that everything is getting better."

She nuzzled him, getting in as close as she could. "Hey, Lee?" She whispered.

He glanced down at her. "Yeah?"

"I can't paint for shit."

His rich laughter resounded in her as she held onto him, concealing a smirk. "That's okay, we'll do a shitty paint job together. At least then all the walls will match."

She kissed him on the jawline, finally relaxed enough to appreciate his offbeat sense of humor. It was going to be a long and difficult road, restoring the world back to its old ways. But having someone there through all of it – someone who understood, sympathized, and forgave – certainly helped.


End file.
